Interstate 81 in Pennsylvania

Interstate 81
American Legion Memorial Highway
Wikimedia | © OpenStreetMap I-81 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by PennDOT
Length	232.63 mi[1] (374.38 km)
Major junctions
South end	I-81 at the Maryland state line near Greencastle
	US 30 in Chambersburg US 11 / I-76 Toll / Penna Turnpike in Carlisle PA 581 near Camp Hill US 22 / US 322 in Harrisburg I-83 / US 322 in Colonial Park I-78 in Lickdale I-80 near Hazleton PA 309 in Wilkes-Barre I-84 / I-380 / US 6 in Dunmore I-476 Toll / Penna Turnpike NE Extension / US 6 / US 11 near Scranton
North end	I-81 at the New York state line near Hallstead
Location
Counties	Franklin, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lebanon, Schuylkill, Luzerne, Lackawanna, Susquehanna
Highway system
Interstate Highway System Main Auxiliary Suffixed Business Future Pennsylvania State Route System Interstate US State Scenic Byways Legislative ← PA 80 → PA 81

Interstate 81 (I-81) is an 854.89-mile-long (1,375.81 km) north–south Interstate Highway, stretching from Dandridge, Tennessee to Fisher's Landing, New York at the United States/Canadian border. In the state of Pennsylvania, I-81 runs for 232.63 miles (374.38 km) from the Maryland state line near Greencastle to the New York state line near Hallstead and is called the American Legion Memorial Highway. It is the longest north–south Interstate in Pennsylvania.^[2]

Route description[]

I-81 northbound at western terminus of I-78 in Lebanon County

I-81 enters Pennsylvania at the Maryland state line about 13 miles (21 km) south of Chambersburg; it also has its first exit at the state line, junctioning with Pennsylvania Route 163 there. In Chambersburg at exit 16, it meets U.S. Route 30 (the Chambersburg Pike to Gettysburg). About a mile north of Carlisle at exit 52, it meets U.S. Route 11, which takes passengers to the Pennsylvania Turnpike/ Interstate 76 (halfway between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh), since I-81 has no direct interchange with I-76. The stretch of US 11 connecting I-81 to I-76 is known locally as the "Miracle Mile" since it contains plenty of traveler services including restaurants, gas stations, lodging, truck stops, shops, etc.^[3] From here, I-81 travels in an almost precisely east–west direction for the next 37 miles (until exit 89). At exit 59, it has an interchange with the western terminus of Pennsylvania Route 581. I-81 becomes the Capital Beltway from exit 59 to exit 70. As passengers approach exit 67, a major complex interchange is seen. The interchange consists of U.S. Route 22 and U.S. Route 322; U.S. Route 322 merges with Interstate 81. Exit 70 is the eastern terminus of the US 322 concurrency and the northern terminus of Interstate 83, and is located in Colonial Park. For the entire segment between the Mason–Dixon line and Interstate 78, I-81 runs through the Great Valley. North of Harrisburg between Interstate 83/U.S. Route 322 and Interstate 78, the highway passes near Hershey and Fort Indiantown Gap.

At mile marker 89, I-81 meets the western terminus of I-78, I-78 picks up the eastward route through the Great Valley and heads toward Allentown and New York City, while I-81 turns back northward, cutting through the Blue Mountain at Swatara Gap. From mile marker 141 to mile marker 146, I-81 passes near the city of Hazleton. At exit 151, I-81 meets Interstate 80. As motorists enter Wilkes-Barre at mile marker 165, Interstate 81 merges with Pennsylvania Route 309 for 5 miles (8.0 km). At exit 175, I-81 meets with Pennsylvania Route 315, which will lead passengers to the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. In Scranton at mile marker 185, there is a short freeway called the Central Scranton Expressway, which will lead passengers into downtown Scranton. At mile marker 187, I-81 is at the , which consists of Interstate 84, Interstate 380, and U.S. Route 6. US 6 merges with I-81 for 7 miles (11 km) from mile marker 187 to mile marker 194. At mile marker 194 is the northern terminus of Interstate 476 and the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The last exit in Pennsylvania is exit 230, which is Pennsylvania Route 171 near Hallstead. 4 miles (6.4 km) north of exit 230 is the New York state line.

History[]

I-81 northbound approaching Central Scranton Expressway in Scranton

A toll highway along the present-day I-81 corridor through Pennsylvania was planned in the 1950s. The section from Scranton to the New York State line was planned as a continuation of the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. A new extension of the turnpike between Harrisburg and Scranton was also proposed. After the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 was passed, plans were changed to build a freeway rather than a toll road. The first section to be built ran from PA 347 in Dunmore to US 11 in northern Scranton, this section opening in 1960. All of I-81 in Pennsylvania was completed by the 1970s. Construction cost nearly $443 million.^[2]

On May 9, 2013, a tanker crashed and caught fire at the interchange between I-81 and US 22/US 322 in Harrisburg. The fire damaged the bridges carrying westbound US 22/US 322 and a ramp over I-81. At least one of those bridges, carrying US 22 eastbound over I-81 and several ramps, and possibly another, the ramp carrying traffic from I-81 northbound to US 22/US 322 westbound, would have to be demolished and replaced. The fire resulted in about ten miles of I-81 being closed in both directions, with traffic being diverted along the southern portion of the Capital Beltway.^[4][5] The highway would not be fully reopened to traffic until the evening of May 13.^[6]

Future[]

Scranton Beltway[]

On April 28, 2016, plans were announced for a Scranton Beltway to use the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension (I-476) as a bypass for I-81 around the heavily congested segment through Scranton and its suburbs. The turnpike between the two I-81 interchanges carries an average of 10,000 vehicles per day vs. 80,000^[7] on the parallel segment of I-81. This project will build two high-speed connections between I-476 and I-81: one south of Scranton in Dupont and one north of Scranton in South Abington Township. Tolls on the connections will be paid with E-ZPass or toll-by-plate. Construction on this project, which is expected to cost $160 million, could begin as soon as 2021.^[8]

New interchange in Chambersburg[]

On October 24, 2018, PennDOT released their plans for a new exit 12 on I-81, at Guilford Springs Road, estimated to cost around $23 million.^[9] The purpose for the exit is to improve access for trucks to the various distribution warehouses south of Chambersburg, such as Target.^[10] As such, Guilford Springs Road will be widened to three lanes as a part of this project. PennDOT has started obtaining environmental clearances and will start to seek rights of way in 2020 from approximately 7-10 properties. PennDOT will look at bids for construction starting in 2023.^[9]

Exit list[]

County	Location	mi	km	Old exit [11]	New exit [11]	Destinations	Notes
Mason–Dixon line		0.00	0.00	–	–	I-81 south – Hagerstown	Continuation into Maryland
				1	1	PA 163 (Mason Dixon Road)	Southbound ramps are in Maryland
Franklin	Antrim Township	2.50	4.02	2	3	US 11 (Molly Pitcher Highway)	No southbound entrance from US 11 north
	Greencastle	4.80	7.72	3	5	PA 16 – Greencastle, Waynesboro, Mercersburg	Serves Whitetail Ski Resort
	Guilford Township	9.70	15.61	4	10	PA 914 – Marion
		12.20	19.63	–	12	Guilford Springs Road	Planned interchange; bidding set to start in 2023
	Chambersburg	14.00	22.53	5	14	PA 316 (Wayne Avenue) – Waynesboro
		15.60	25.11	6	16	US 30 (Lincoln Way) – Gettysburg, Chambersburg
		16.70	26.88	7	17	Walker Road	Serves Norland Avenue and Wilson College
	Greene Township	19.80	31.87	8	20	PA 997 – Scotland	Serves Penn State Mont Alto and Letterkenny Army Depot
	Southampton Township	24.10	38.79	9	24	PA 696 (Fayette Street)
Cumberland	Southampton Township	28.40	45.71	10	29	PA 174 (King Street)	Serves Shippensburg University
	Penn Township	36.80	59.22	11	37	PA 233 – Newville	Serves Park and Ride Lot
	Carlisle	43.90	70.65	12	44	PA 465 – Plainfield	Serves Carlisle Fairgrounds
		45.50	73.23	13	45	College Street	Serves Dickinson College and Penn State Dickinson School of Law
		46.40	74.67	14	47	PA 34 (Hanover Street)	Signed as exits 47A (south) and 47B (north) southbound; serves U.S. Army War College
		47.90	77.09	15	48	PA 74 (York Road)	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
		48.40	77.89	16	49	PA 641 (High Street)	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
	Middlesex Township	51.50	82.88	17	52	US 11 to I-76 / Penna Turnpike – New Kingstown, Middlesex	Signed as exits 52A (north) and 52B (south) northbound; to Carlisle Interchange (Turnpike exit 226)
	Silver Spring Township	56.70	91.25	18	57	PA 114 – Mechanicsburg
	Hampden Township	59.00	94.95	19	59	PA 581 east (Harrisburg Expressway) / US 11 – Camp Hill	South end of concurrency with the Capital Beltway
		60.70	97.69	20	61	PA 944 (Wertzville Road)
	East Pennsboro Township	64.60	103.96	21	65	US 11 / US 15 – Enola, Marysville	Signed as exits 65A (south) and 65B (north); serves Central Pennsylvania College
Susquehanna River		65.30	105.09	George N. Wade Memorial Bridge
Dauphin	Susquehanna Township	65.80	105.89	22	66	Front Street – Downtown Harrisburg	Serves Harrisburg Transportation Center
	Harrisburg	67.00	107.83	23E	67A	US 22 east / PA 230 east (Cameron Street)	Serves Farm Show Complex and Harrisburg Area Community College
				23W	67B	US 22 west / US 322 west – Lewistown, State College	South end of concurrency with US 322
	Susquehanna Township	68.70	110.56	24	69	Progress Avenue	Serves Widener University Commonwealth Law School
	Lower Paxton Township	69.60	112.01	—	70	I-83 south / US 322 east to Penna Turnpike – South Harrisburg, Hershey, York	North end of concurrency with US 322 / Capital Beltway; northern terminus of I-83; serves Harrisburg International Airport and Lancaster
		72.30	116.36	26	72	To US 22 – Paxtonia, Linglestown	Access via Mountain Road; signed as exits 72A (south) and 72B (north) northbound
	West Hanover Township	76.60	123.28	27	77	PA 39 – Manada Hill, Hershey
		80.30	129.23	28	80	To PA 743 – Grantville, Hershey	Access via Bow Creek Road; serves Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course
Lebanon	East Hanover Township	85.10	136.96	29	85	PA 934 south – Annville, Fort Indiantown Gap	Signed as exits 85A (south) and 85B (north) northbound; serves Lebanon Valley College
	Union Township	88.50	142.43	—	89	I-78 east – Allentown	Western terminus of I-78; exit 1 on I-78
		90.10	145.00	30	90	PA 72 – Lebanon	Access via Fisher Avenue
Schuylkill	Pine Grove Township	99.30	159.81	31	100	PA 443 – Pine Grove
	Tremont Township	104.10	167.53	32	104	PA 125 – Ravine	Access via Molleystown Road
	Frailey Township	106.60	171.56	33	107	US 209 – Tremont, Tower City
		111.30	179.12	34	112	PA 25 – Hegins
	Foster Township	115.90	186.52	35	116	PA 901 – Minersville, Mount Carmel
	Butler Township	118.40	190.55	35A	119	Highridge Park Road – Heckscherville, Gordon	Serves Schuylkill Highridge Business Park
	Frackville	123.70	199.08	36	124	PA 61 – Saint Clair, Frackville	Signed as exits 124A (south) and 124B (north)
	Mahanoy Township	130.70	210.34	37	131	PA 54 – Hometown, Mahanoy City	Signed as exits 131A (east) and 131B (west)
	Delano Township	133.50	214.85	38	134	Delano	Access via Lakeside Avenue
	Kline Township	137.60	221.45	39	138	PA 309 – McAdoo, Tamaqua
Luzerne	Hazle Township	141.10	227.08	39A	141	PA 424 east (Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce Beltway) to PA 309
		142.50	229.33	40	143	PA 924 – Hazleton	Serves Humboldt Industrial Park
	Sugarloaf Township	145.20	233.68	41	145	PA 93 – West Hazleton	Serves Penn State Hazleton
	Butler Township	150.50	242.21	—	151	I-80 – Bloomsburg, Stroudsburg	Signed as exits 151A (east) and 151B (west); exit 260 on I-80
	Dorrance Township	154.20	248.16	42	155	Dorrance	Access via Blue Ridge Trail
	Nuangola	158.70	255.40	43	159	Nuangola	Access via Church Road
	Hanover Township	163.90	263.77	44	164	PA 29 north – Nanticoke	Southern terminus of PA 29
	Wilkes-Barre	164.70	265.06	45	165	PA 309 south / PA 309 Bus. – Wilkes-Barre, Mountain Top	South end of concurrency with PA 309; signed as exits 165A (south) and 165B (north) northbound
		167.90	270.21	46	168	Highland Park Boulevard – Wilkes-Barre	Serves Mohegan Sun Arena
		169.80	273.27	47	170A	PA 115 south – Bear Creek	Northern terminus of PA 115
				47	170B	PA 309 north – Wilkes-Barre	Northern terminus of concurrency with PA 309
	Pittston Township	174.90	281.47	48	175	PA 315 to I-476 / Penna Turnpike NE Extension – Pittston, Dupont	To Wyoming Valley Interchange (I 476 / Turnpike exit 115)
	Avoca	177.50	285.66	49	178	PA 315 – Avoca, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Airport
Lackawanna	Moosic	179.20	288.39	50	180	US 11 / PA 502 – Moosic	No southbound access to US 11 north
	Scranton	181.50	292.10	51	182	Montage Mountain Road / Davis Street	Serves PNC Field and Montage Mountain Ski Resort
		183.90	295.96	52	184	To PA 307 / River Street	No southbound exit
		184.20	296.44			PA 307 (Moosic Street)	Southbound exit only
		184.30	296.60	53	185	Central Scranton Expressway	Serves Steamtown National Historic Site, University of Scranton, and Lackawanna College
	Dunmore	186.70	300.46	54	186	Drinker Street	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
		187.10	301.11	—	187	I-84 east / I-380 south / US 6 east – Milford, Mount Pocono, Carbondale	Throop Dunmore Interchange; south end of concurrency with US 6; western terminus of I-84 and northern terminus of I-380
		188.10	302.72	55	188	PA 347 – Throop, Dunmore	Serves Penn State Worthington Scranton and Marywood University
	Scranton	189.80	305.45	56	190	Main Avenue – Dickson City
		191.00	307.38	57	191	US 6 Bus. / US 11 (North Scranton Expressway) – Dickson City, North Scranton	Signed as exits 191A (US 6 Bus.) and 191B (US 11)
	South Abington Township	193.40	311.25	58	194	US 6 west / US 11 / I-476 south / Penna Turnpike NE Extension south – Clarks Summit	Clarks Summit Interchange (I-476 / Turnpike exit 131); north end of concurrency with US 6; northern terminus of I-476 / Turnpike Extension
	Scott Township	197.20	317.36	59	197	PA 632 – Waverly
		198.80	319.94	60	199	PA 524 – Scott
		200.50	322.67	61	201	PA 438 –
	Benton Township	201.60	324.44	62	202	PA 107 – Fleetville,	Serves Keystone College
Susquehanna	Lenox Township	206.00	331.52	63	206	PA 374 – , Lenoxville	Serves Elk Mountain Ski Area
		211.10	339.73	64	211	PA 106 – Lenox	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
		211.40	340.22			PA 92 – Lenox	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
	Harford Township	216.60	348.58	65	217	PA 547 – Harford
	New Milford Township	219.30	352.93	66	219	PA 848 – Gibson
	New Milford	223.50	359.69	67	223	PA 492 – New Milford,
	Great Bend Township	230.40	370.79	68	230	PA 171 – Great Bend, Susquehanna
		232.63	374.38	–	–	I-81 north – Binghamton	Continuation into New York
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access       Unopened

See also[]

•  U.S. roads portal
•  Pennsylvania portal

References[]

External links[]

Route map:

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Interstate 81 in Pennsylvania.

• Interstate 81 exits in Pennsylvania

Interstate 81
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